THE KING'S PEN

Never underestimate the power of a woman. And never underestimate the power of a curious woman. The things hidden in the darkest corners of ones knowledge could easily be brought to light by God, and perfectly searched out and displayed by an inquisitive woman. Salewa Fashakin was not the kind of woman who liked to take rash decision. But when it came to issues that pose a threat to her, she plunged into one.

After driving kilometers away from her home to the address on the blue fluffy paper, she missed her luck, as the person she planned to see just zoomed out of the compound the very minute she arrived. ‘Doctors are very busy people,’ Salewa failed to realize this when she knitted her brows and growled at the innocent nurses, who understood the ethics of their job, veiling their madness behind glowing grins.

“Ma, the doctor just left the hospital. You might have bumped into him on your way in. We ain't lying.” One of the nurses said. “Are you here for a checkup?”

It had be better if it was a checkup. Though they were all well experienced and could stand in the gap for their boss, still the solo situation bugging Salewa was way too high for the beaming nurses to handle.

“When is he coming back?” She took off her dark shades, as her pale blue handbag slipped down from her shoulder.

One of the nurses peeked at the ticking clock and another answered, “he left not quite long...we can’t certainly tell where he went or when he’d return.”

Salewa itched her head with the tip of her car-key, then took a glance at her wristwatch. “Can I wait for him?”

“That’s up to you ma. You can sit over there.”

Over where? Salewa turned around and saw all that didn't occur to her when she walked in. The long brown benches, far left of the reception room, were filled with sick people who sat in turn. Tottering under her many anxieties to take a seat, her sensible heels squeaking on the pristine tiles drew more attention to her. And then the piteous patients budged their loath behinds, creating a space for her to sit. Fair enough, she could managed the edge of the bench.

She noticed again that there hung no paintings on the wall nor any sign of vibrancy. Everything was a shade of pure white, the floor, the walls and the ceiling. This very minute a pungent, medicinal whiff rushed into her innocent nostrils. Now this was one of the reasons she hated visiting the hospital. She couldn't fathom where the smell oozed from. It was everywhere. She almost closed her nostrils, but then she wondered if she was the only one perceiving the odour, as the folks around her were all very comfortable, inhaling and exhaling it.

The clock ticked on and on and on, and the arrival of the doctor grew even bleak. How long more would she have to wait? Her anxious mind wondered as her eyes wandered. The programme airing on the TV, situated at a corner far above the reach of the tallest nurse, refreshed her already heavy eyes. And just as she enjoyed the tranquility of the once annoying environment, the aged man sitting beside her began his series of cough. This self-same moment, the baby behind the woman seated in front of her began his bouts of cry. Now Salewa, who shielded her nose and mouth from catching the bacteria the coughing man fired into the atmosphere, wished she could stuck her free hand into the mouth of the baby, as his noise pitched into her sensitive ears. She rolled a goggle eyes at the baby, hoping he’d be quiet, but to no avail. That only escalated the volume of the ignorant baby to a whole new level.

The woman stood to comfort her baby, loosened her wrapper and patted his buttocks gently with her palm. Then Salewa spotted this woman’s protruding tummy. She was definitely expecting another child. The baby stopped crying, but Salewa couldn't stop thinking. Would she ever be like this woman? Hope she wasn't just an uterus in heels? Would she ever carry Sanmi’s child in her womb? How on earth could he hide such a weighty and insistent information from her? No answer surfaced to these maddening questions. Her palms became damp and her brow furrowed. She hissed, clutched to her bag and soldiered on to meet the giggling nurses, seated behind the counter.

“I wonder your job here. Been over there watching you since like forever and all you do here was laugh and chat. Patients aren't attended to... That man, the one on red polo shirt, is busy infecting people with what doesn't have a name and all you do was to have him still seated amongst us. Sorry, among them. I doubt if you even care.”

“Excuse me ma...” One of the nurses tried calming her down.

Salewa wouldn't be easily interjected. “Hey! Please excuse me busty nurse I’m still talking. I wonder if that’s how you operate daily here.”

“Excuse me ma?”

Salewa rolled her angry eyes at the busty nurse and again, she held her peace. “I still can’t believe Sanmi had anything to do here.” She thought out loud. “Even the doctor doesn't seem reliable, he left these number of patients and went on a hike!”

Salewa threw a quick look at the astonished patients, who paid keen attention to all she was saying, then shuffled her gaze between the nurses, standing at different positions. Nobody said a word as the silence screamed out loud. She reached for her dark shades in her handbag and wore it. “Now imagine, this is too dark.” She yanked off the shades, peeked at the clock and walked out of the hospital. The day couldn't have been more disappointing for Salewa, as she drove home with her headlamps on, hooting at every slow driver that came ahead of her.

Even though the sun had long settled, the bag of money with Dede brought back sunshine into his life. His face radiated with joy as he sat on his bed with the loaded bag in between his legs. He peeked again at his door to ensure he had dropped the iron latch behind it. The heat that consumed the stuffy room could lit a cigarette. He hauled out his shirt, tossed it aside, then dug into the bag and brought out bales of naira notes.

He grinned.

Now his mother could live the life she never dreamed of; having her relocate to the city to set her up with the biggest cold-room in town, selling different species of fish, beef and turkey parts. And his twin may perhaps own a business, if schooling was of no interest to him anymore. Thoughts kept rushing into his greedy mind, but not too long was he jolted back to life when a knock hit his door. He paused for some seconds staring at the door, and the bang came again, even louder.

“Dede! I’m sure that was loud enough to bring you back from your dreamland.” Salewa said. “Bring my gown. Now!”

His heart stopped racing as he heard her heels fade away. It had be a good idea if he whizzed away, that very moment, with the money. But he didn't because of the fear of being stopped by the sentry at the exit of the barracks, the search every night was usually very thorough. So Dede went quickly to deliver the gown to her.

The ardent ire swirling within Salewa sent her deep sense of reasoning on vacation. She failed to notice the dress she wore wasn't hers, even while it was tight coming into it. It didn't matter to her then nor now that she wiggled out to Captain Dogo’s wife’s get-together. The only place a angry woman wouldn't refuse going is the shopping mall. With Salewa, it was a well organized party.

“What’s wrong with you?” asked every person that approached her in the party.

“Nothing, I’m very fine.” She had repeated over and over again.

The only way to seal their lips from further questions was to join in the merriment. After several cups of Hennessy, she finally convinced everyone she was very fine. The party continued till eleven, but Salewa left the venue some minutes past ten. She teetered down the quiet street, her eyes giddy and were dragging to a close. Oh! The consequence of pleasing others at the detriment of oneself always have a longer repercussion than one could ever imagine.

ON THE RUN (EPISODE 26)

by Unknown on 05:28

Never underestimate the power of a woman. And never underestimate the power of a curious woman. The things hidden in the darkest corn...

Her weight suddenly became evident on him, sending both of them to the ground, escaping by chance another shot fired by the rebels climbing the wall. They had rather be dead than escape, ordered the rebel-leader who was yet to climb the wall. The rebels who had crossed over the wall, to their opponent’s half, fell into the rapid fire of the Nigeria soldiers, who rushed to the scene just as they heard the gunshots.

The sudden barrages and the very short groans of the men at the other side of the wall got the rebel-leader uneasy, wondering if they had just been ambushed. In order to satisfy his curiosity, he placed the life of two out of eight of his remaining men on the line, instructing them to climb the wall and confirm the daring truth.

The two obeyed, but plunged to the ground, the same second, with bullet holes on their heads. Molten-red blood squirted out of their gaping skulls, and the pity eyes of the rebel-leader welled with tears.

The firing ceased.

“Get them!” The General roared, seeing that victory, at last, had smiled at him. The valiant Nigerian soldiers rushed over the wall, chasing after the men on turban who took off, running with the speed of light, towards their parked vehicles.

The General hurried to Sanmi, who held Dinah in his arms, trying all he could to stop the blood-gush. The bullet had pierced through her back.

Dinah coughed, gasping for air.

“No Dinah. No!” Sanmi pivoted his hand by her neck, staring into her weak eyes. “Stay with me, stay with me please. Please stay with me, Dinah.”

“Let’s get her out of here on time.” The General bent before Sanmi, serving his back to him. “Hurry up!”

He scrambled with her to his feet, and placed her carefully behind the General. Not one person could ever explain how the sudden love of the person they barely knew could wax so strong. The General backed Dinah like an infant, scuttling through the woods, heading north, towards their camp. Sanmi limped along with a slight shiver of fear, the fear of losing a loved one. Oh! Death had really played a fast one on him.

At age six, he had seen his mother battle with cancer. Even when he was told that it was a mere sickness, the fear of losing her still tingled in his little heart. She was rushed back to the hospital this night and the fear amplified to a whole new level. He nudged his father, now and then, to go into the emergency room to confirm his mother’s state of health. And because his father had a relaxed countenance, he couldn't see the terror that hooked him by the throat. The doctor came out to them, with a long face and a pity demeanor.

“Doctor, what is it?” Sanmi’s father hoped the doctor’s words would contradict his scary look. “I’m a man, you can tell me anything. Doctor?”

The doctor, having his arms akimbo, let out a deep breath. “Mr Fashakin, I’m sorry we tried our best...”

“...ehn we know you people always try your best. What happened to my wife is what I’m asking?”

“That’s what I’m trying to explain sir.” The doctor said, more calmly. “We tried all we could, but we lost her.”

Little Sanmi couldn't help his depressed father from swooning, it was an abrupt fall that even the doctor was caught unaware. His father also passed away in the process, leaving him to the mercy of his uncle who raised him. Ever since, he grew nervous whenever any of his loved ones needed an urgent medical attention.

Now they arrived at their camp and from afar the medical personnel had rushed to the sympathy of the extremely tired officers. They looked scruffy and needed quick medical attention, likewise already dying Dinah who had barely few seconds to escape death. They drove the General to a special ward, far away from the camp, away from any form of attack. They couldn't afford to lose him again, as more soldiers were assigned to stand on guard at the entrance of the place he received his treatment. On the other hand, Sanmi laid tired on the wooden bed, in the camp’s clinic, just after the bullet had been pulled out of his thigh. The thought of Dinah occupied his mind and he only wished she would live to bask in the joy of their narrow escape.

Later that evening, Sanmi felt quite better and well refreshed, deciding to satisfy his nagging curiosity. He strolled towards the medical inspection room which was just about a minute walk from his sick bed. The medical soldiers that stood on duty saluted him as he walked through the passage to the supposed ward Dinah could be. He peeked again at the silver bracelet that dribble around his wrist, then smiled at the message he thought it passed, and then muttered some words of prayer. If only he knew Dinah was no more.

His heart beat abnormally fast as he found the ward empty. He closed the door without a sound, lost in thought about where Dinah might have been taken to. His worried eyes scanned around for any passer-by who by any means could answer the bugging questions his troubled mind popped at the time. Lucky, but sadly for him, a familiar doctor passed and broke the news to him. “Captain, we lost that lady that arrived with you and the General. We got the bullet out of her, but she had already lost a lot of blood. We really tried all we could.”

“Oh no!” His scream smeared into uncontrollable sobbing. He turned around and placed his aching head on the wall. The doctor patted him at the back and made an immediate exit, then he propped his back against the blue wall and slid to a sit on the very dusty floor, burying his head in between his legs.

His tears flowed freely to the floor. Dinah never said her goodbye before departing, the more painful reason Sanmi cried even more. Words couldn't express how he felt and otiose thoughts wouldn't stop gushing into his head. He struggled to get to his feet, after several failed attempt against the jarring force from the bad news. Now, he staggered along the quiet passage toward the entrance of the camp’s clinic. Behind the door, with his hand on the doorknob, he paused to compose himself, he wiped his messy face with his black t-shirt, cleared his clogged throat and straightened, with both hands, his rumpled shirt. Every soldier in the camp saw him as an icon of bravery and he wasn't ready to sell that, not even for a very high price. The soldier by the door saluted him again as he walked out of the clinic to a solitude, under a giant mango tree, situated right behind the clinic. He needed time alone, to reflect on the happenings in his life, of late.

The sun had long gone to bed and the chirping sound of the crickets jumble with the whistling of the gentle breeze. Sanmi slid out of his pocket a stick of cigarette and stuck it in between his lips. And that very second, the thought of Salewa flashed through his mind. He knew he shouldn't smoke. He made the promise to her that night, the great night he proposed, the third of February.

“...if that’s what you want, that you already have of me.” Sanmi said with a straight face, kneeling on his right. “That stick I smoked would be my last, I promise.”

Salewa sneered at the obvious facade, having her mean eyes on his swollen pocket. He smiled and then dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarette. “This goes too.” He tossed it inside a bin resting beneath their table.

“I just can’t watch you suffer. My dad died of lung cancer. You know it.” Salewa reached for her handkerchief and mopped her teary eyes. “I love you so much and I don’t want to lose you, not to anything without a face I can punch.”

“You won’t lose me.” He shifted closer and lent her a hug. “I love you.”

The promise had long been broken. But this very thought played before him whenever he felt the urge to smoke. And the only way he could overcome the ever pressing temptation was to fall for it.

He sat at the root and braced his back against the back of the tree. His face brightened as he lit the cigarette. A puff of smoke coiled out of his nose and he took in another puff. A sharp thought crept into his head and abruptly, he stood to his feet and snuffed out the dwarf cigarette under his feet. Was it a cause and effect from the smoking? That nobody could tell as he stood still, like a statue, for some seconds with bright eyes scanning around the premises, then he walked away from there.